Why the study?
Does hypotensive drug treatment reduce cardiovascular disease and death in elderly patients with hypertension?
Does hypotensive drug treatment reduce cardiovascular disease and death in elderly patients with hypertension?
While hypotensive treatment benefits younger elderly patients (60-74 years), data is lacking regarding its efficacy in patients aged 75 and older or those with isolated systolic hypertension.
Should not yet change practice for patients ≥75 years or with isolated systolic hypertension; leaves open efficacy of hypotensive therapy in these subgroups.
Hypertension is a common problem in the elderly with a prevalence approaching or exceeding 50%. The risk of cardiovascular disease and death is increased in elderly hypertensives aged 60-74 years, whereas this increased risk seems to be diminished or even nonexistent in those aged 75 and above. Hypotensive drug treatment has been shown to be beneficial for the younger elderly patients, but whether or not this is also true for the older elderly hypertensives is less clear. Isolated systolic hypertension increases the cardiovascular risk, but we lack data on the efficacy of treatment in this group.
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Lars Lindholm (1990) studied this question.
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